Exclusive: How a Southern Connection Drew Four-Star Recruit Peyton Dyer to USC

USC Trojans four-star cornerback signee Peyton Dyer built a strong relationship with the Trojans defensive back coaches during the recruiting process because of their Southern ties. Dyer talks preparing to enroll at USC and his career goals outside of football.

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Growing up in Georgia, Peyton Dyer knew very little about USC. He lives in the heart of SEC country and West Coast football wasn’t on his radar. But as the Trojans four-star cornerback signee became a national recruit, he started to do some extended research on various programs and Southern Cal caught his eye. 

Dyer picked up an offer from USC in late January when secondary coach Doug Belk paid him a visit at his school. 

“It felt great. It was after weight training and I sat down with coach Belk and he was telling me everything about USC that I didn’t know and just giving me the insights on what’s going on over there. The relationship didn’t stop from there,” Dyer said.

Southern Connection Draws Dyer to California 

Tyner Academy (Tenn.) four-star cornerback and USC Trojans signee Peyton Dyer / X | @sauljerediah

Belk is also from Georgia and has played a massive role in the Trojans establishing a recruiting footprint in the Peach State. USC signed three defensive backs from Georgia in the 2025 cycle. 

Pulling recruits away from schools in the SEC is small order, but Dyer’s relationship with two members of the Trojans staff helped bring the four-star recruit out west.  

“He’s from Georgia also and just seeing how he’s got used to the environment out there and if he’s getting used to, I can get used to it as well," Dyer said. "And over the time of my recruitment, we just been getting a good relationship, me, coach Belk and T Reed of course.”

Trovon Reed joined USC’s staff in January as the cornerbacks coach. Reed is from Louisiana, the same state Dyer’s mother’s side of the family is from. 

In addition to be a rising coach in college football, Reed is very relatable with recruits and does a great job of building relationships with them. It’s no surprise because the USC coach won a national championship with Auburn in 2010, before a short stint in the NFL. 

Reed spent several years working in recruiting and player relations at Auburn, before joining the coaching ranks with UCF in 2024 and moving onto USC this season. 

“I just felt a bond with him, he feel like my second pops or like my uncle,” Dyer said. 

Trips to Los Angeles 

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dyer visited USC for the first time in April and was immediately blown away by his time on campus and watching the Trojans go through a spring practice. 

“I enjoyed every second of it,” Dyer said. “Watching these guys go through practice, it’s different. Seeing these guys want to work and the new class coming in, it’s gonna be special.”

Shortly after his trip to Los Angeles, Dyer, who had been committed to South Carolina since November, decided to reopen his recruitment. 

“It factored a lot, just talking with coach Reed and coach Belk and building that relationship over time. Relationships I didn’t have with no other coaches just helped me make my decision even faster and I was like yeah, I gotta be here.”

Dyer returned for his official visit in early June and was accompanied by his mother, father and little brother. USC rolled out the red carpet for Dyer and his family and provided some of that Southern hospitality. The Trojans put an emphasis on recruiting the family, in addition to the player. 

The recruiting weekend made a strong impression on Dyer, but it wasn’t the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles that wowed him on his visit, it was how they treated his family and their honest approach with him in meetings with the coaching staff that led to him committing to USC that weekend. 

“They let everybody know they was at home and I like to see that, everybody doesn’t do that,” Dyer said. “Everything was nice. They kept it honest with me, it’s not gonna be all cakes and rainbows when I get there, so it was straight work. They kept it real with me.”

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Dyer took his official visit the first weekend USC started hosting recruits in early June, where he began building a relationship with Archbishop Hoban (Ohio) five-star cornerback signee Elbert “Rock” Hill. The two of them were back on campus again that month for one of USC's summer camps and worked out in front of the coaches.

“Just working with Rock it felt great to already be there and get the feeling of what it’s going to be like,” Dyer said. 

They got the opportunity to bond with some of the current players and begin getting acclimated to life at USC. One player Dyer connected with was freshman running back James Johnson, another Georgia native. 

The Tyner Academy (Tenn.) product, where Dyer played his senior year at, returned in the fall and took in his first gameday experience when the Trojans routed Michigan on Oct. 11. 

“The stadium got super loud and we balled out,” he said. 

Career Outside of Football 

Nov 7, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Football doesn’t last forever. Even for those that are blessed to have a long career in the NFL. At some point it comes to end for everyone and with a long life to still be lived. 

Dyer understands an education from the University of Southern California, an incredible alumni base and networking opportunities will help him in the long run. 

“That plays a major impact because football don’t last forever,” he said. “Just meeting new people that can help you in the long term like outside of football is great. Most colleges can’t do that for you, they can just provide football. But I want stuff after football.”

The Georgia native has already found his career path outside of football. Dyer wants to be a veterinarian. He’s always had a love for animals. He grew up having them around in then house and would bring animals home to take care of them. 

Preparing for the Next Step 

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley talks with Southern California Trojans quarterback Husan Longstreet (4) in the second half against the Missouri State Bears at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dyer made it official on the first day of the early signing period last Wednesday, Dec. 3. It was a moment he didn’t take for granted. 

“Coming from where I come from it feels amazing to even to do something like that and be in that position,” he said. “Signing that paper and making it official, it felt great knowing I’m gonna be across the country and make my mama proud, my daddy proud and just my family and let them know it’s straight business when I get there.”

He spoke with Reed and Belk on that day, and they left him with a simple message. 

“They were letting me know it’s time to work, you made it official, time to work now,” he said. “No games to be played with.”

USC has sent him workouts to follow before he officially joins the team on Jan. 7. He’s been working out with ADAPT in Georgia four days a week, focusing on speed and strength training to help prepare him to make the leap to major college football. Saturdays are a rest day and then Sundays are strictly defensive back training. 

Dyer has a business-like approach with everything he does on and off the field and is carrying that to USC.

“Hard working, determined dog, ready to work, not to play with, straight to business," he said.